Martin

In the beginning of 2022 I build a new not on order guitar and the Martin OM-18 has been my role model to create it. All the dimensions of the body and the aesthetics are true to the original. 

For a long time now I am very much into the style of Martin guitars. I just love their aesthetics. The shapes and the stark simplicity (mostly). And although I have been creating my own models with shapes and design choices and everthing, the longer I build the more I am getting closer to the Martins. 

But aesthetics is only one aspect. Bracing and plate thickness and neck construction and dimensions, or in one word "voicing", is another. So for this build I decided to throw my plate thickness experience over board and just go with what I considered to be standard thickness on a Martin OM top which is between 2,8 and 3 mm. Scalloped X bracing with two scalloped tonebars. The only thing I kept was a spanish neck to body joint. 

Woods on this guitar are Alpine spruce for the top, South American mahogany for the back and sides, Spanish cedar for the neck and ebony for the fretboard, bridge and binding. 

The resulting guitar for me was like a revelation. And lead me in a new direction as a builder. I was converted. I was a Martin guy. Almost.